Oral Thrush: How Can My Rexall Pharmacist Help?

The symptoms of oral thrush are caused by a fungal infection in the mouth. The infection causes a thick, white coating on the tongue, inner cheeks, inner lips, or gums. If the white patches in the mouth are wiped off, you may see red areas on the tongue that might bleed slightly. Oral thrush most often happens when someone has been taking an antibiotic to treat an infection or uses inhalers called corticosteroids (“preventers”) for breathing conditions such as asthma. People who wear dentures and people who take drugs that weaken their immune system also have higher risk for developing oral thrush. 

If you think that you or a family member might have oral thrush, speak with your Rexall Pharmacist. In addition to recommending medications that can relieve the symptoms of oral thrush, your Rexall Pharmacist can help you in other ways to prevent you from getting oral thrush in the future. For example, people who use corticosteroid inhalers can help prevent oral thrush by rinsing their mouth after each use of the inhaler. People who wear dentures can prevent oral thrush by not wearing dentures at night and soaking dentures in certain solutions that kill yeast infection. Other recommendations can help prevent oral thrush in people with poor oral hygiene, people who smoke, individuals with diabetes, and those who have a dry mouth. 

Your Rexall Pharmacist will assess your condition to ensure that you have oral thrush and that you do not have any signs and symptoms that would be better treated by a doctor or other health professional. If appropriate, your Rexall Pharmacist will then discuss benefits and risks of available treatment options based on your circumstances. The most common and effective treatment for oral thrush is a medication called nystatin. Nystatin is available in a liquid form and is easy to use for adults and children. Your Rexall Pharmacist will discuss your medication with you and, if appropriate, write a prescription for the medication. If you have any questions about your condition or treatment, or feel that your medication may be causing side effects, don’t hesitate to ask your Rexall Pharmacist at any time.